Nana Appiah Mensah
AN ACCRA Circuit Court has for the umpteenth time adjourned the trial of Chief Executive Officer of defunct Menzgold Ghana Limited, Nana Appiah Mensah, and three others, who are facing charges of defrauding by false pretences.
The case took another long adjournment after the prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sylvester Asare, prayed the court to adjourn the matter, without giving any reason except to tell the court to apply what he called the ‘Oliver Twist Principle’.
Asked by the court, presided over by Her Honour Evelyn Asamoah, what he meant by that, the prosecutor stated that they were asking for more time.
“This morning, we will not bother the court, seeing that other lawyers are in the court. We are at the mercy of this honourable court this morning, and inviting my Lady to apply the principle in Oliver Twist by giving us some more time and we’ll ensure that we’ll do the needful,” DSP Asare told the court.
The court, after conferring with the prosecution and Audrey Twum, who held brief for Kwame Akuffo, counsel for the accused persons, adjourned the trial to May 16.
NAM1, together with his wife, Rose Tetteh, and his sister, Benedicta Appiah (both of whom are at large), are altogether facing a total of 13 counts of defrauding by false pretences, money laundering, abetment and carrying on deposit-taking business without licence. These include six counts of defrauding by false pretences, abetment, money laundering and carrying on deposit-taking business without licence.
His companies – Menzgold Ghana Limited and Brew Marketing Consult Limited – have also been charged with seven counts of defrauding by false pretences, and carrying on deposit-taking business without licence.
NAM1 has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The court, presided over by Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye, granted him bail to the tune of GH¢1 billion (about $185 million) with five sureties, three of which are to be justified.
Additionally, he was ordered by the court to report to the police every Wednesday.
Unable to satisfy the bail conditions, the defence team led by Kwame Boafo Akuffo, later filed an application, asking for variation of the terms.
However, the presiding judge, after listening to both sides, though maintained the sum of GH¢1 billion, but removed the condition of three of the five sureties to be justified.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak